SATKOWSKI ELIMINATED IN QUARTERFINALS AT 2008 ITA CHAMPIONSHIPS
Oct. 4: St. Lawrence University senior co-captain Jon Satkowski, who earned the No. 2 ranking for the 2008 ITA Championships this weekend in Willingboro, NJ, was upset in the quarterfinals on Saturday by Vassar’s Mike Mattelson. Mattelson had previously knocked out Satkowski’s teammate, rookie Nick Boltz, in the round of 16.
Satkowski begin his run at the ITA Championships in style on Friday, winning each of his first two matches with ease. The Salisbury Mills, NY native breezed past Rensselaer’s Jon Cullen 6-0, 6-2 then eliminated Manhattanville’s Imran Choudhury 6-1, 6-1. He then advanced to the quarterfinals with a straight set 6-1, 6-1 win over Vassar’s Greg Katz.
In the quarterfinals, though, Mattelson continued his impressive play by eliminating the No. 2 seed in straight sets, 6-4, 6-3. He had eliminated Boltz earlier in the day, 6-1, 6-1, after Boltz had earned a spot in the round of 16 by upsetting the No. 11 seed Ryan Kovaleski of Rochester, 7-6 (2), 6-4.
Boltz also earned a victory in the first round on Friday against Tom Curren of Mt. St. Mary’s, 6-1, 6-1.
Junior Chris McDonald and senior Pete Abernethy also competed for St. Lawrence in the singles draw, but were both eliminated in the first round. McDonald fell to Brian Schmeer of Rochester 6-4, 6-1 while Abernethy was knocked out by Jon Yu from the College of New Jersey (TCNJ), 6-2, 7-5.
The Saints did not fare well in doubles action at ITA’s, as both teams were upended in the opening round. Satkowski and McDonald, who entered the draw as the No. 6 seed, lost to Steven and Stewart Fernandez from TCNJ 9-7.
Boltz and Abernethy would also be defeated by a TCNJ pairing, as Yu and Eckert ended their hopes with an 8-4 win in the opening round of doubles.
The 2008 ITA Championships end the fall portion of the Saints’ schedule. The Scarlet and Brown will not be in action again until February 22, 2009 when they travel to Saratoga Springs to take on Liberty League foe Skidmore.
